HATTIESBURG, Miss. - Southern Miss Head Women's Basketball Coach Joye Lee-McNelis today released the 2012-13 schedule that features nine teams that advanced to postseason play last season, including five that played in the NCAA Tournament.

The schedule also includes 16 Conference USA games as well as non-conference tilts against Hampton, South Alabama, Florida A&M, Mississippi State, UALR, UL-Monroe, UT-Martin, Loyola (La.) College, Central Arkansas, William Carey, and UNO. Southern Miss plays host to its annual Lady Eagle Classic that includes Savannah State, McNeese State and Talladega College.

"Our 2012-13 schedule brings many challenges in our non-conference games to help prepare us for our Conference USA play," McNelis said. "We open up with Hampton University who played in the NCAA Tournament last season and return a very talented squad."

The Lady Eagles open the regular season, Nov. 9, at home against NCAA participant Hampton University before hitting the road for a trip to South Alabama (Nov. 16), then home to host the Lady Eagle Classic, Nov. 23-24. USM ends the month by traveling to Florida A&M (Nov. 28).

Southern Miss begins the month of December hosting in-state rival, Mississippi State, then on the road with a pair contests at UALR (Dec. 4) and UL-Monroe (Dec. 9). The Lady Eagles return to Reed Green Coliseum to host Loyola (La.) College (Dec. 15) before traveling to UT-Martin (Dec. 18), then close out the month with home tilts against Central Arkansas (Dec. 22) and William Carey (Dec. 31).

"We will be facing teams that are returning experienced squads and some of those teams played in postseason play," said McNelis. "It is important that our team be battled tested, yet gains some confidence against quality opponents so that we can have some success in our conference play."

Conference USA again plays in two divisions, East and West. The East teams consist of Southern Miss, East Carolina, UAB, Memphis, UCF and Marshall, while the West has Tulane, Houston, Rice, Tulsa, UTEP and SMU. The Lady Eagles open the C-USA schedule at home with Marshall (Jan.10), then, travel to Memphis (Jan. 13) before return home to play SMU (Jan. 17). Southern Miss plays two road games at UCF (Jan. 20) and Houston (Jan. 24). Southern Miss returns home to face Rice (Jan. 27), before traveling to UAB (Jan. 31).

Rounding out the remaining C-USA slate, the Lady Eagles host Tulsa (Feb. 3), then travel to the defending C-USA Champion UTEP (Feb. 10). Southern Miss then hosts UCF (Feb. 14) before returning to the road for a game at East Carolina (Feb. 17). The Lady Eagles will host Memphis (Feb. 21) and UAB (Feb. 24) before concluding their road games at Marshall (Feb. 28) and Tulane (Mar. 3). Southern Miss will close out the regular season play at home against East Carolina (Mar. 7).